Article Processing Charge

Publication Fee

Article Processing Charge (APC)

The journal operates under a full open-access publishing model, ensuring that all published content is immediately and permanently accessible to readers worldwide. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

The journal does not receive direct financial support from commercial sponsors that could influence editorial decisions. To cover the costs associated with professional editorial management, rigorous peer review, production, online hosting, digital archiving, and dissemination, authors of manuscripts accepted for publication are required to pay a one-time Article Processing Charge (APC).

As of March 1, 2026, the Article Processing Charge (APC) for this journal is €500 (or the equivalent in US dollars) and is payable only after the manuscript has been formally accepted following double-blind peer review.

There are no submission fees, and no charges are applied to rejected manuscripts. The APC is independent of article length and does not vary based on the number of figures, tables, or supplementary materials. Editorial content—including Editorials, Corrections, Additions, Retractions, Letters, and Comments—is published free of charge.

Upon acceptance, the corresponding author will receive an invoice along with detailed payment instructions.

Editorial Independence and Ethical Compliance

The journal adheres to the principles and best practices set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All editorial decisions are made solely on the basis of scholarly merit, relevance, originality, and scientific rigor.

The ability to pay an APC, as well as the request for or receipt of a waiver or discount, does not influence the peer-review process or editorial decision-making at any stage.

Waivers and Discounts

To promote inclusivity and equitable global participation in scholarly publishing, the journal offers APC waivers and discounts based on authors’ institutional affiliation and funding status.

Full Waivers

Full APC waivers (100% discount) are available to authors affiliated with institutions in countries classified as low-income economies, subject to the following conditions:

  • All listed authors are affiliated with institutions located in eligible low-income countries.
  • The research is unfunded, and no institutional or external funding is available to support publication costs.

Waivers are not granted automatically. Authors must request a waiver at the time of manuscript submission. Eligibility for a waiver has no bearing on the editorial assessment or peer-review outcome.

Discounts

Authors who are not eligible for a full waiver but who face financial constraints may request a partial APC discount. Discount requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be submitted during the manuscript submission process.

Payment Terms

The APC, after application of any approved waiver or discount, must be paid prior to online publication.

  • Payment instructions will be provided upon acceptance of the manuscript.
  • Failure to complete payment within the specified timeframe may result in a delay in publication.

Funding Transparency Statement

Authors are required to declare all sources of funding related to the research reported in their manuscript at the time of submission. If no funding was received, authors must explicitly state this.

The journal is fully transparent regarding publication charges. All information related to APCs—including amounts, waiver policies, and discount options—is publicly available on the journal’s website in accordance with transparency standards. APC revenues are used exclusively to support the journal’s publishing operations and do not influence editorial decisions.